KOTA KINABALU: Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) is currently processing the applications of 15,000 people in Sabah to become members, its President Mohamad Sabu said.

Speaking at a party function here, Tuesday, Mohamad said the acceptance of the party by Sabah people is encouraging.

“There are 15,000 applications to become Amanah members being processed in Sabah and tonight we received 3,000 new application forms,” he said.

“The response to the party in Sabah is great. After we formed the government last year, various people, including former government servants and policemen joined the party.

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“In Tawau, many people formerly in Barisan Nasional have joined Amanah.”

Asked about seven MPs in the peninsula who left Umno last December joining Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Amanah’s fellow component in the Pakatan Harapan (PH), he said the matter was not a concern.

“PH Chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had not promised any posts for the former Umno politicians after they joined Bersatu,” said Mohamad, who is also Defence Minister.

“What’s important is they strengthen PH and especially important is the support from Malays particularly in the peninsula that we can get.”

NGO Perkida Sabah Chairman Datu Akjan Khan recently claimed Muslims in Sabah wanted Bersatu to spread its wings to the State but Parti Warisan Sabah President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, who is also Sabah Chief Minister, objected to it.

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When asked about this, Mohamad declined to comment, saying it should be left to the concerned parties.

“It is up to Warisan and the other concerned parties,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sabah Amanah Youth Chief Khairuddin Daud said 10 Amanah divisions had been registered in Sabah. Fifteen more divisions will be registered in due course.

Earlier, Mohd Sabu said the Federal Government gives priority to border security aspects in Sabah for maintaining the level of security of the people and country.

This includes the East Coast waters of Sabah and Sulu waters currently guarded under the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom).

The security and readiness level there will continue to be heightened in line with the National Defence White Paper tabled in Parliament in July, he said, after his courtesy visit to Head of State Tun Haji Juhar Mahiruddin at the Istana Negeri, Tuesday.